Friday, May. 09, 2008
4A teams ready for new challenges
By BRIAN HERNALSTEEN
News-Mirror Writer
Legacy
It’s official.
Legacy football on the varsity level has started. Heck, the players and coaches have treated it like a varsity program since the school opened.
Focus and improvement might be the name of the game for second-year coach Chris Melson, as his team looks to take on a tough 4A schedule in the fall.
"We had a tremendous off season. Last year, we obviously didn’t have one for our system, so being able to hit the weight room and get some practice in has helped us out tremendously," Melson said. "We have seen some big improvements in our size and strength, and we feel that we are much further ahead than we were last year."
All indications point to Legacy running the same style of spread offense it ran last year. The defense is also the same aggressive style of play seen on the field last year.
The biggest difference with this squad is experience.
The year of junior varsity play is under their belt, and it is an invaluable tool. Having played games and getting game speed experience is a huge factor with this year’s success.
"We are so much further along than we were in November. We needed a JV season, and we think we are very fortunate to get a good season before we started varsity play," Melson said. "People will see a big difference in our play. We got better everywhere."
Not losing many to graduation helps as well, as the Broncos return a huge portion of the team that not only gained starting experience, but a good amount of playing time as well.
Perhaps the unit that will benefit most from the playing time and not losing players is the offense. All the kids on the field seemed to be on the same page, and all were very responsive when it came to learning how to better themselves out on the grass.
"You can’t buy that type of experience. And yes, it is a concern in some areas, but we are not overly weak in any area. I think we are strong throughout," Melson said. "If we do have one specific strength, it’s our attitude. Everyone is on the same page, and everyone is buying into the team belief system."
The team begins varsity play this year in 4A, a departure from its 5A standing last year.
"Our district is tough, from top to bottom, no matter if it’s 4A or 5A," Melson said. "The move didn’t hurt us or help us, but we will be ready for play in the fall."
Timberview
The Wolves had arguably the best team at the conclusion of the regular season and heading into the playoffs.
They had been through their early season growing pains and were clicking on all cylinders as the season went on. Timberview had won eight of its last nine games en route to a deep playoff run.
And now, a bit of rebuilding needs to take place if the Wolves hope to return.
Gone is Antoine Hicks, the Texas recruit that could double as a quarterback and a receiver. Gone is Marcus Cromartie, considered one of the, if not the state’s best cover corner. And gone is a big chunk of the offensive line that carried the load for the year.
"The biggest shoes we have to fill is that of our offensive linemen. That was an area of concern as we moved into the off season," said Timberview coach Terry Cron. "Players will step up, we know that much. We lose a lot of that beef up front, but the kids have been pretty dedicated in making a return trip. They have been lifting weights and working hard in practice, and I’m already excited about next season."
Cron does have a lot of reasons to be excited. Two key starters return, as quarterback Donte Parker and running back Eric Stevens look to fill senior roles for the team.
Also adding to the excitement is a possible thought of another deep playoff run. The players have taken their roles seriously, and Cron has seen some drastic improvement.
"They are all very competitive. They couldn’t wait to get into full pads and hit," said Cron. "There is a level of discipline with this team. They want to go back to playoffs, and they want to go further. As a coach, it’s easy to work with that attitude and those players."
Starting off the season a bit slow is not something anyone wants to think about. The Wolves have to be out in full force, especially since a very special game was added to the schedule for the beginning of the season.
Timberview will face off with Buford, a high school from Georgia in the annual Texas vs. U.S. high school football matchup. The game is set for Aug. 30 at Texas Stadium.
Adding to the pressure is the fact that the game will be televised, and that Buford is no stranger to success, having advanced to its state title game last year.
The move to 4A from 5A might seem beneficial to some, but the district is no pushover, with past state champions Stephenville and Everman in the mix.
So it seems that nothing will come easy to the Timberview squad that takes the field next year, but they just might like it that way.
"There is certainly no guarantee of our district being easy, if anything, it’s going to be very tough. Because I’ve coached in every class, I’m not exactly licking my chops after looking at the list of teams in our district," said Cron. "But we are on the high end of 4A schools, having just missed the cut for 5A. It does make us the big fish in the barrel, so teams will be gunning after us.
"I’m excited and the kids are excited, so let’s see what they can build on."
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